Nothing remains the same for two consecutive moments. Heraclitus said we can never bathe twice in the same river. Confucius, while looking at a stream, said, "It is always flowing, day and night." The Buddha implored us not just to talk about impermanence, but to use it as an instrument to help us penetrate deeply into reality and obtain liberating insight. We may be tempted to say that because things are impermanent, there is suffering. But the Buddha encouraged us to look again. Without impermanence, life is not possible. How can we transform our suffering if things are not impermanent? How can our daughter grow up into a beautiful young lady? How can the situation in the world improve? We need impermanence for social justice and for hope.
Aware of impermanence, you become positive, loving and wise. Impermanence is good news. Without impermanence, nothing would be possible. With impermanence, every door is open for change. Impermanence is an instrument for our liberation.
-- Thich Nhat Hanh
I think this is really important for me to pull out again right now. I think this will be my mantra for the upcoming week in my meditation.
The way I feel today is not permanent. My feelings are coming to the surface today and I am clinging to them. I need to let them come and go...
MM
Aware of impermanence, you become positive, loving and wise. Impermanence is good news. Without impermanence, nothing would be possible. With impermanence, every door is open for change. Impermanence is an instrument for our liberation.
-- Thich Nhat Hanh
I think this is really important for me to pull out again right now. I think this will be my mantra for the upcoming week in my meditation.
The way I feel today is not permanent. My feelings are coming to the surface today and I am clinging to them. I need to let them come and go...
MM